FNA.com/Iraqi PM Surprised at Iran’s Absence in Paris Meeting

SHAFAQNA (International Shia News Association)-Representatives of 30 countries attended the Paris meeting held on September 15. The Paris meeting was held at the initiative of French President Francois Roland and his Iraqi counterpart Fouad Massoum who had both urged Iran’s participation in the meeting. But after Tehran rejected cooperation with the US-led coalition against the ISIL, Washington stood against the invitation.

The Iraqi prime minister pointed to Iran’s constructive role in the reconstruction of Iraq, and said he was surprised to see that Iran had not been invited to attend the Paris conference on his country.

After the US claimed that Iran should not take part in Paris meeting, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei revealed that the US officials had on several occasions asked Iran to cooperate with the anti-ISIL coalition, but Tehran had turned down Washington’s demand.

Foreign ministers from the main European states, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, Iraq’s neighbors and the Persian Gulf Arab states; Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE, gathered in Paris on Monday to discuss political, security and humanitarian aspects of fighting against ISIL.

In similar remarks on Monday, Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim Jafari underlined Iran’s constructive role in the settlement of regional crises, specially in Iraq, and criticized those who had arranged the Paris conference for not inviting Iran.

“We insisted that Iran be present. However, it was not us that took the decision. We regret the absence of Iran at this conference,” Jafari told reporters.

“All countries are affected by the ISIL problem and Iran is a neighboring country that has several times given us its support,” the top Iraqi diplomat added.